Elevation MCP Server

Name: Elevation MCP Server
Author: cyanheads

by cyanheadsversion 0.3.0i★ –iComputer or cloud

Registry nameio.github.cyanheads/elevation-mcp-server

Install

Overview

Description from the maker (original English)

Look up elevation worldwide, profile route ascent/descent, grid areas, check terrain line of sight.

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

These three are never merged into one score: opinions, measurements and popularity are different things.

User voiceiNo reviews yetReviews open together with accounts in a later step
Our basic checksi3 of 3 passedChecked from public information; code not scanned yet
UsageiNot measured yet★ –

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

Connection: Computer or cloud
Transport: stdio, Streamable HTTP
Category: Other

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

Before you install

Basic checks: 3 of 3 passed
Runs on the maker’s server: what you ask it goes through their server.
Can do 4 things (tools) elevation_get_points, elevation_get_profile, elevation_get_grid, elevation_check_line_of_sight
You fill in yourself: MCP_LOG_LEVEL, OPENTOPODATA_BASE_URL

You need

Runs in the cloudNothing to install; it connects over the internet
npmNode.js installed (for the npx command)

Which app do you use?

ClaudeClaude CodeCursorVS CodeChatGPT

Pick your app above. We remember it, so next time the button says “Install in …”.

Works in Claude on the web, desktop and mobile:

Open Settings → Connectors
Press Add custom connector
Paste the address below and press Add
If it asks you to sign in, sign in with the maker

https://elevation.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Or run it on your computer

Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config, and paste this into claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "elevation": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/elevation-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "your-value",
        "OPENTOPODATA_BASE_URL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Run this in your terminal

claude mcp add --transport http elevation https://elevation.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Or run it on your computer

claude mcp add elevation --env MCP_LOG_LEVEL=your-value --env OPENTOPODATA_BASE_URL=your-value -- npx -y @cyanheads/elevation-mcp-server

Fill in the empty values before running it.

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "elevation": {
      "url": "https://elevation.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Or run it on your computer

Open in Cursor

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "elevation": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/elevation-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "your-value",
        "OPENTOPODATA_BASE_URL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "elevation": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://elevation.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Or run it on your computer

Open in VS Code

Or copy the settings yourself

Paste into .vscode/mcp.json in your project

{
  "servers": {
    "elevation": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/elevation-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "your-value",
        "OPENTOPODATA_BASE_URL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

Your browser asks to open the app, then the app shows the settings and asks you to confirm. Key values are left empty for you to fill in.

ChatGPT connects only to servers on the internet:

Open ChatGPT on the web → Settings → Connectors (Apps)
Press Create or Add (some plans need Developer mode under Advanced first)
Paste the address below, give it a name and save
If it asks you to sign in, sign in with the maker

https://elevation.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Menu names can differ slightly by plan and over time.

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

Values you fill in

MCP_LOG_LEVEL env
Sets the minimum log level for output (e.g., 'debug', 'info', 'warn').
OPENTOPODATA_BASE_URL env
Base URL of the Open Topo Data instance used outside USGS 3DEP coverage. Defaults to the public instance, paced to its published limits; any other URL is treated as a self-hosted instance, which must…

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

What it can do

Tool names and descriptions exactly as the server reported them on Nov 7, 2026. The maker wrote them, not us; we show them as plain text.

elevation_get_points
Look up ground elevation at up to 100 coordinates in one call, in meters and feet, with the dataset and resolution behind every point. Accepts up to 1,000 submitted positions; only the first 100 are validated and sampled, with counts and next_offset identifying the unvalidated re
elevation_get_profile
Sample terrain elevation at evenly spaced points along a route (a polyline of 2–1,000 vertices) and summarize it. Returns total distance, cumulative ascent and descent, start, end, minimum, and maximum elevation, and the steepest climb and descent grades, plus the per-sample prof
elevation_get_grid
Sample a regular grid of terrain elevations across a bounding box and report the highest and lowest sampled points, the mean elevation, and the relief, plus the full elevation matrix with each cell's dataset. Values are point samples at grid nodes (box edges included), not cell a
elevation_check_line_of_sight
Check whether terrain blocks the straight sightline between an observer and a target, each at a height above the ground, accounting for earth curvature and atmospheric refraction. Returns a verdict of clear, blocked, or indeterminate (when samples along the line have no data), th

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 7, 2026

✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified with the GitHub account cyanheads, which owns the repo
… Not checked yet
Still maintained
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
… Not checked yet
Has a licence
We have not read this repo from GitHub yet
✓ Pass
Endpoint responds
Responded in 292 ms (HTTP 200)
– Not applicable
Sign-in with OAuth
No sign-in needed
✓ Pass
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Read 4 tool descriptions and found no hidden instructions to the AI

Compared with others in Otheri

More stars than 0% of the other 32599 servers in this category
Published to the registry more recently than 78% of the other 32599 servers in this category
Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 32599 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Common questions

Is Elevation MCP Server safe?

It passed 3 of 3 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.

What keys or codes does it need?

The registry does not list a required key, though some servers ask you to sign in on first use.

Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?

Either way works: install it on your computer or connect to the cloud version.

Is it still maintained?

The GitHub repo last changed –, and the latest version (0.3.0) reached the registry 9 days ago.

Which apps can use it?

Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. It connects by URL, so apps that accept remote MCP servers work too, such as ChatGPT in developer mode.

What can I use instead?

In the same category: Spec Driven Development, Remote Desktop Commander, Zendesk

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README from the maker

Open the README

Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.

@cyanheads/elevation-mcp-server Look up elevation worldwide, profile route ascent/descent, grid areas, check terrain line of sight via MCP. STDIO or Streamable HTTP. 4 Tools

Public Hosted Server: https://elevation.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Overview

Elevation and terrain analysis anywhere on Earth, from USGS 3DEP (1–30 m across the US) and Open Topo Data worldwide. Look up spot heights, measure a route's climbs and grades, find an area's high and low points, and check whether terrain blocks a line of sight. No API key required.

Tools

Tool	Description
`elevation_get_points`	Ground elevation at 1–100 coordinates, in meters and feet, with the dataset and resolution behind each value
`elevation_get_profile`	Sample a route at evenly spaced points and summarize distance, ascent, descent, elevation range, and steepest grades
`elevation_get_grid`	Sample a node grid over a bounding box and report its highest and lowest points, mean elevation, and relief
`elevation_check_line_of_sight`	Decide whether terrain blocks the sightline between two points, with earth curvature and refraction, and check first Fresnel zone clearance for radio links

Agent skill

The elevation-guide covers route geometry, candidate high-point refinement, and visual or radio sightline assessment. Plugin installs discover it in root skills/; npm, Docker, and MCPB distributions include it. MCP clients can read skill://elevation-guide/SKILL.md as a resource or use the Skills extension.

Capability reference

Every successful result includes vertical_reference on both response surfaces. Public SRTM uses EGM96; NAVD88 is typical for 3DEP in the conterminous US, but the returned raster reference is unverified and can vary elsewhere. Mapzen and self-hosted Open Topo Data references are unknown/variable. No-data-only results establish no height reference. Heights are returned without transformation; mixed datasets are not normalized to a common datum. water_surface_m needs a compatible terrain reference; zero or source: opentopodata alone does not establish compatibility.

`elevation_get_points` tool

points: 1–1,000 {lat, lon} objects in decimal degrees (WGS84), or a single point. Only the first 100 are validated and sampled; the remainder stays unvalidated
requested_points, processed_points, and remaining_points count submitted positions, including duplicates and misses. next_offset is the index after this call's processed prefix, or null when exhausted; continue with originalPoints.slice(next_offset), where originalPoints is the array submitted in that call. Use each newly submitted array for the next slice
Each point comes back ok or no_data (a miss never fails the call), with elevation_m / elevation_ft, dataset, and resolution_m (omitted for mapzen); 3DEP answers add raster_id and acquisition_date. points_with_data counts the hits

`elevation_get_profile` tool

path: 2–1,000 vertices in travel order (consecutive duplicates dropped); samples: 2–250 evenly spaced points along it, endpoints included (default 100)
summary carries total_distance_m, ascent_m / descent_m (and feet), start, end, min, and max elevation, highest_point / lowest_point, and max_grade_pct / min_grade_pct with where each occurs; ascent depends on the reported sample_interval_m. Fails as degenerate_path (under 1 m of route), antipodal_path (add an intermediate waypoint between the identified zero-based input vertices), or no_coverage (no sample has data)
include_samples (default true) returns samples[] (distance, position, elevation, grade, dataset, and resolution per sample); false omits it and the sample table, and the rest of the result is unchanged

`elevation_get_grid` tool

south, west, north, east edges in decimal degrees (a box can't cross longitude 180); rows and cols 2–25 each (default 10), with rows × cols at most 250
elevations_m and cell_datasets matrices indexed row (row 0 north, column 0 west, null without data), plus summary.highest, summary.lowest, mean_elevation_m, and relief_m. Fails as invalid_bbox, too_many_cells, or no_coverage
Nodes are point samples with the edges included, not cell averages

`elevation_check_line_of_sight` tool

observer and target points, at most 1,000 km apart; observer_height_m (default 1.7) and target_height_m (default 0), each 0–10,000 m above ground; earth_model flat, geometric, optical (default, κ 0.13), or radio (κ 0.25); samples 3–250 (default 100); optional water_surface_m (-500 to 9,000) and frequency_mhz (30–300,000)
verdict is clear, blocked, or indeterminate (samples without data leave the line unconfirmed), with min_clearance_m / min_clearance_ft, the limiting_point, and the first_obstruction when blocked. Fails as same_endpoints (under 1 m apart), sightline_too_long (over 1,000 km apart), or endpoint_no_data
frequency_mhz adds fresnel: a sufficient, insufficient, or indeterminate verdict against the 60% free-space bar of the first Fresnel zone, min_clearance_ratio (clearance over zone radius), and the sample that limits it, which is often not limiting_point
Terrain only: buildings and vegetation count only as far as the elevation source captures them. Where Mapzen reports sea-floor depth, clearance is measured to the sea surface; USGS 3DEP values below 0 m (bay floor in some bays, or dry land) count as received unless water_surface_m sets a water level, which then applies to every sample

Failures shared by every tool

Reason	Code	When
`usgs_unavailable`	`ServiceUnavailable`	USGS 3DEP did not answer or rejected the request; `data.retryable` says whether retrying can help
`opentopodata_unavailable`	`ServiceUnavailable`	Open Topo Data did not answer, rejected the request, or sent an unusable response; `data.retryable` as above
`opentopodata_rate_limited`	`RateLimited`	Open Topo Data kept answering HTTP 429, or asked for a wait over 8 s; `data.retryAfter` in seconds when it sent one of at most a day
`opentopodata_daily_limit`	`RateLimited`	Public instance only: this server already sent 1,000 requests in the trailing 24 hours, so none was sent; `data.retryAfter` is the seconds until a slot frees
`opentopodata_config_rejected`	`ConfigurationError`	The instance at `OPENTOPODATA_BASE_URL` answered 401, 403, or 404, redirected (self-hosted only; never followed), lacks `srtm30m` or `mapzen`, caps locations below 100, or answered from a dataset this server didn't request; the operator must fix it
`sampling_deadline_exceeded`	`Timeout`	The 45 s sampling budget ran out (`data.provider` names the provider it was waiting on), or other calls' queued USGS 3DEP lookups left no time for this call's, so it sent none and `data.retryAfter` is the seconds until they drain

A coverage miss is never an error: that point has no data. Any provider failure fails the whole call with no partial result.

Features

Built on @cyanheads/mcp-ts-core: stdio and Streamable HTTP transports, pluggable auth (none / jwt / oauth), swappable storage (in-memory, filesystem, Supabase, Cloudflare KV/R2/D1), structured logging with optional OpenTelemetry tracing.

Elevation-specific:

source on every tool: auto (default) queries USGS 3DEP inside its coverage and sends 3DEP misses and everything outside it to Open Topo Data; usgs_3dep and opentopodata pin one provider. Only a coverage miss falls back, never an outage
Open Topo Data answers from SRTM GL1 v3 (about 30 m, land between 60°N and 56°S), then Mapzen terrain tiles where SRTM has no tile: high latitudes, Antarctica, and ocean bathymetry
Per-call caps of 100 points or 250 samples or grid cells, inside a 45 s sampling budget; each 3DEP point is its own request (6 concurrent, 10 per second), while Open Topo Data takes 100 points per request
The public Open Topo Data instance is paced under its published limits: one request at a time, starts at least 1.1 s apart, at most 1,000 in any trailing 24 hours per server process
Profiles, grids, and sightlines are computed locally from point samples, with great-circle distances and resampling and earth curvature with standard refraction

Agent-friendly output:

Provenance on every value: each point, profile sample, grid cell, and sightline point names its dataset (usgs_3dep, srtm30m, mapzen) and, except for Mapzen, its resolution_m (resolution_m_range on profiles and grids); computed results add datasets_used counts, and a Sources: line credits every dataset that answered
Absent stays absent: a point or sample without data omits its elevation and a grid cell is null, never 0; summaries report how many values had data
Notices flag what changes interpretation: results mixing 3DEP and Open Topo Data, Mapzen values below 0 m (sea-floor depths), 3DEP values below 0 m on a sightline, sample spacing coarser or finer than the source, thin clearance margins, and a clear radio path short of 60% Fresnel clearance

Getting started

Connect to the public instance:

claude mcp add --transport http elevation-mcp-server https://elevation.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Every hosted caller shares one Open Topo Data allowance of 1,000 requests a day. Under auto, 3DEP answers inside its coverage and Open Topo Data handles the rest. For sustained global use, run your own instance:

claude mcp add elevation-mcp-server -- npx -y @cyanheads/elevation-mcp-server

Other MCP clients use this local configuration:

`json

Only the beginning is shown; read the rest in the repo

Elevation MCP Server

Overview

PopNx MCP’s three pillars

What you can do with it

Install

Before you install

Or run it on your computer

Or run it on your computer

Or run it on your computer

Or run it on your computer

Values you fill in

What it can do

Basic checksi

Maker matches the repo

Still maintained

Has a licence

Endpoint responds

Sign-in with OAuth

No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

Compared with others in Otheri

Common questions

Alternatives

Spec Driven Development

Remote Desktop Commander

Zendesk

README from the maker

Overview

Tools

Agent skill

Capability reference

elevation_get_points tool

elevation_get_profile tool

elevation_get_grid tool

elevation_check_line_of_sight tool

Failures shared by every tool

Features

Getting started

`elevation_get_points` tool

`elevation_get_profile` tool

`elevation_get_grid` tool

`elevation_check_line_of_sight` tool